Jason Babin makes some sense but Ravens will have to wait it out

The Philadelphia Eagles released defensive end Jason Babin on Tuesday.

The Philadelphia Eagles released defensive end Jason Babin on Tuesday. (Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE)

Jeff Zrebiec

Jason Babin can still get after the quarterback. That, more than anything, is why after the veteran defensive end was surprisingly released by the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday, the Ravens were immediately mentioned as a potential fit.

It makes sense. The Ravens have been looking to upgrade their pass rush all season. Defensive end Pernell McPhee has battled injuries all year and he’s not been a factor in creating pressure. His replacement, Arthur Jones, has come on and had two sacks against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday but those were the first quarterback takedowns of his career.

Like the team he used to play for, Babin, 32, has been a major disappointment this season with 5 1/2 sacks. However, just last year, he was one of the game’s most dangerous pass rushers and finished with 18 sacks.

If used strictly as a pass rusher and not as an every-down player, he has the potential to really help the Ravens and provide another dimension to an improving defense. The Ravens figure to have some interest if Babin is available to them, but a lot would have to happen to even open up that possibility.

Babin was placed on waivers yesterday and teams should know if he’ll clear by this afternoon. Because of their 9-2 record, the Ravens are 30th in waiver priority, ahead of only the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons. That means that 29 teams are going to have precedence over the Ravens on a waiver claim for Babin.

And even if they all pass, the Ravens currently don’t have enough salary cap space to claim Babin, who is still owed approximately $1.6 million the rest of the season. They could rectify that by making a couple of roster moves – Bryant McKinnie and Bobbie Williamscome to mind – but they value having depth on an offensive line that has struggled lately.

It’s certainly interesting to think about but the Ravens best chance to land Babin would be if he passes through waivers and is free to sign with any team. That, however, would be mildly surprising given how many teams are looking to upgrade their pass rush for the stretch run.